ORLANDO, Fla. -- Acrobats are flying through the air with the greatest of ease at the UCF Arena this weekend as Cirque du Soleil’s production of "Dralion" sweeps in for an eight-performance run.

"Dralion" originally opened in 1999 in the Big Top. After touring for 10 years, the production was closed and work began to revive it and stage it for an arena presentation. In October 2010, the revival reopened with brand-new acts, music, costumes and almost an entirely new cast.

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"It feels like a new show, something fresh," said artistic assistant director James Santos about the production. "We’re now able to reach people in distant towns that we couldn’t reach in the big top. An arena tour allows you to travel quicker, and reach more people."

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The show fuses the 3,000-year-old tradition of Chinese acrobatic arts with the Cirque du Soleil approach that has captivated audiences since 1984. "Dralion" specifically gets its inspiration from Eastern philosophy and its never-ending quest for harmony between humans and nature. Its title, "Dralion" is a combination of two creatures: The dragon which symbolizes the East, and the lion, symbolizing the West.

Color and light play a huge role in the production.

"The show is about light. It is upbeat and positive," said Santos. "People always leave with really good energy."

Making sure people leave with that really good energy, however, takes a team of many people. As part of the artistic team, Santos is one of many responsible for keeping the original vision of the show alive. That team is also responsible for seeing the production through. Lighting, costumes, making sure the acts are their best and that performers are motivated are all in the hands of that production team.

Performers from all over the world make up the 52-person cast of "Dralion." The cast includes acrobats, dancers, musicians and vocalists. Some of these performers have been mastering their craft, their whole lives. Trampoline artists from China, a former Olympic competitor and an Orlando native are just a few members of the cast of "Dralion."

Orlando native, Amanda Orozco is making her Cirque du Soleil debut in the arena tour. For the 22-year-old, not only was Wednesday opening night, but it was also her hometown performance debut.

"I saw Cirque du Soleil’s 'La Nouba' at the age of 12," said Orozco. I was mesmerized!"

This prompted her to begin studying dance and move to Montreal, Canada, in 2007. While there, she trained at the National Circus School, L’Ecole Nationale du Cirque. Not too long after her graduation, she was cast in "Dralion" as Azala, performing in the act "Pas de Deux," an aerial dance, in which she performs with a partner flying over the stage.

Members of the arena tour, cast and production team travel, putting on performances for 10 weeks, spending about a week in each location. It takes 10 hours to load 19 semis at each venue with everything necessary to put on a successful production.

"Sunday, we’ll finish the show, get on buses and head to the next city," said Santos. "By Tuesday, we’ll be loading in."

They’ll be loading in washers and dryers and about 1,500 costume pieces, including shoes.

"The costumes are custom-made for each performer," media consultant Mary Lou Janson said. "Head pieces, shoes -- they’re all made specifically for that performer."

Makeup however, is their responsibility.

With a show this big and strenuous, burned out performers seem inevitable. However, unlike the big top show, which ran for six to eight weeks, "Dralion" runs for 10 weeks and then performers get a two week-break. Then they come back and do it all over again.